SEESA’s Athlete Of The Week – Philip Sergeant
SEESA
has been a loyal supporter of the Ironman4theKidz foundation for years as it is
a passion we share and a cause we feel strongly about.
Over
the next few weeks, we would like to acknowledge SEESA’s athletes who
participated in various Ironman events in support of the Ironman4theKidz
initiative
SEESA’s athlete of the
week
Philip Sergeant started his career at SEESA in 2011 and is currently the National Corporate Development Manager at SEESA’s Head Office in Pretoria. He competed in several Ironman 70.3 events in support of the Ironman4theKidz initiative.
1.In what Ironman event did you compete?
I competed twice in the Durban 70.3 and once in the East London 70.3
2.Why Ironman?
It tests multiple disciplines. We tend to have the disciplines that we are comfortable in and this event forces you to confront those disciplines that you are uncomfortable in. You become a more balanced athlete as a consequence.
3.Why did you choose to support Team Orange?
The organisation has done some amazing work in the Eastern Cape. Through doing events that I love, I am able to play my part in supporting this great organisation. It was an easy decision to make.
4.Any thoughts/stories to share competing in your “Lumo Orange” Ironman4theKidz vest?
These races are not easy. It sometimes makes it hard to at least look as if you are having a great time out there. When you wear the orange vest you have to smile because the supporters don’t allow you to forget why you made the decision to take part in these events and why you keep coming back for more punishment.
5.What training tip would you share?
Consistency
is the only currency that matters when it comes to training for an event like
this.
#TeamSEESA #Ironman4theKidz
POPIA compliance in 2026: the basics every business still gets wrong
Even years after POPIA came into full effect, the same compliance gaps continue to surface across different industries. Many businesses believe they are POPIA compliant until a complaint, audit, or data breach proves otherwise.
Here are some of the most basic POPIA mistakes we still see:
- Information Officers appointed “on paper only”.
The Information Officer is registered on the Information Regulators e-Services portal, but there is no real understanding of the role, no internal authority, and no ongoing oversight of compliance activities.
- Outdated or generic privacy notices
Outdated or generic privacy notices often misrepresent actual processing activities in the company.
- No POPIA training beyond management
POPIA compliance is treated as a legal or HR issue, while frontline employees, who handle personal information daily, receive little or no training.
- Assuming IT equals POPIA compliance
Strong IT systems alone are not enough. POPIA also requires policies, procedures, access controls, and human behaviour management.
- Weak access control and data minimisation
Employees often have access to personal information they do not need, increasing the risk of internal breaches and unauthorised disclosure.
- No clear process for data subject requests
Businesses struggle to respond within reasonable timeframes because there is no documented procedure for handling requests.
- Not reporting data breaches to the Information Regulator
Many organisations do not fully understand what constitutes a data breach under POPIA or how to report it. As a result, breaches are often ignored or being overlooked entirely.
- Failure to review and update data processing agreements with Operators
While operators are identified, many businesses fail to put proper data processing agreements in place or to review them regularly.
- Treating POPIA as a once-off exercise
Compliance is viewed as a project with an end date, rather than an ongoing process requiring regular review, updates, and monitoring.
POPIA compliance is about awareness, accountability, and continuous improvement. Identifying and fixing these common gaps is often the first step towards meaningful compliance.
